Tag Archives: Orioles

When the New York Times does a 36 hour story on Baltimore, I feel that I have to add my two cents. I am a Baltimore girl, from head to toe. While I have lived all over the country, I still feel like a Charles Villager, who is happiest eating steamed crabs and going to Orioles baseball games.

It’s fun to see an article in the New York Times about your hometown – it kind of shows what your city looks like from the outside.

I love Baltimore’s quirkiness and flair. Baltimore is sassy!

I remember the first time I realized that Baltimore was maturing in front of my very eyes. I had gone to the then newly-developed Power Plant area, and found an ESPN Zone, a Hard Rock Café, and a wide range of other stores and restaurants in a previously run-down part of town.

Copyright JC Politi PhotographyRevitalized Power Plant Neighborhood

I got tears in my eyes, feeling pride in my hometown. Maybe this is what my family felt like when the Inner Harbor opened in the early 80‘s.

I remember, as will all of my schoolmates, the excitement in the air when the Inner Harbor opened and we stood in line for hours just for a taste of Thrasher’s French fries!

I also remember visiting Baltimore after I moved away from home after college. It was the first time I can remember seeing people in bars in Fells Point who had not grown up in Baltimore. I realized that some people actually moved to Baltimore, instead of away from Baltimore, when they grew up. This was an illuminating moment for me.

For anyone who has not visited Baltimore, I encourage you to give it a try. People frequently tell me that they have driven through Baltimore on their way to Washington, DC. That is a shame. DC is well-worth a visit, but anyone who does not take time to stop in Baltimore to get a taste of its gritty character is missing out on something special.

Copyright JC Politi PhotographyThe best part of Baltimore – aside from my family, of course!

While you’re there, make sure to eat steamed crabs full of old bay and wash them down with a Natty Boh beer, catch an O’s game, take the water taxi to Fells Point for a drink and some mussels at Bertha’s Mussels, and check out the national aquarium. I am sure my friends and family could add quite a few other things not to be missed.

What do you think? If you were to describe your city or hometown to visitors, how would you describe it? What are some must-do activities in your community? Have you been to Baltimore? What is your impression of the city? What city or town do you identify most closely with?